President to address pay disparities among govt. workers

The President today (27) pledged that a formal system will be established in 2025 to raise government officials' salaries, guaranteeing that there are no salary disparities.

President Wickremesinghe said this after receiving blessings this morning (27), from Chief Prelates of the Malwatu Chapter, Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka Thera, and the Asgiri Chapter, Chief Prelate, Most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Nayaka Thera during his visit to Kandy.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the President presented the Greater Kandy Urban Plan to the Chief Prelates and had forward-thinking conversations about the nation's financial and economic development.

There, the President announced the appointment of a committee to address this issue and emphasized that the Cabinet has concentrated on raising the salaries of government employees.

“Upon assuming office as President, my priority was to visit here first. Following your guidance, we have stabilized the country and averted bankruptcy. Today, my foremost objective is to update you on these developments. We have successfully concluded two agreements and will proceed with foreign debt restructuring until 2032,” President Wickremesinghe added.

The administrative city will also be moved to Kundasale in accordance with the Kandy City Development Plan. A technology zone will be set up in Digana to foster advanced technological development. Efforts are also underway to transform the Bogambara Prison area into a hotel complex.

In parallel, efforts have been made to provide relief to the population through projects like Aswasuma and Urumaya, he said.  

“The reconstruction of this nation cannot proceed solely through traditional political divisions. If we continue to operate along these lines, economic recovery within two years will remain unattainable. Various factions from all parliamentary parties have supported us in bringing the country to its current state, while segments of each party have also moved into opposition. Had the entire parliament collaborated with the government, our nation could have achieved far better outcomes,” President Wickremesinghe further noted.

Initiatives for infrastructure development are in motion as part of the efforts to turn Gadaladeniya, Lankatilakaya, and Ambakke into tourist destinations. One of the plans is to build a Buddhist culture center in order to draw more tourists to the Kandy region. Visitors to the Victoria Dam, Udawatta Kele, and old Dalada Maligawa frequently stay in the Kandy region for several days.

There are also talks on completing the Kandy-Colombo Expressway from Kurunegala to Kandy with Japanese aid, and from Colombo to Mirigama with Chinese assistance.

Following this, President Wickremesinghe visited the Selvam Vinayagar Hindu Kovil in Katukele, Kandy, where the President was blessed and participated in religious ceremonies led by Hindu Priest S. Krishnamurthy.

He also visited the Meera Makam Mosque, where Maulavi Dasheem Mohammad blessed him and they had a brief conversation.